Lavrov calls for stepping up political reforms in Syria

The delegation of the Syrian opposition gave high assessment of Russia’s principled stance

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MOSCOW, April 26 (Itar-Tass) — Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has called for stepping up political reforms in Syria, the Russian Foreign Ministry reported on Thursday after Lavrov’s negotiations with Qadri Jamil, the head of the Syrian opposition delegation who represents the Popular Front for Change and Liberation.

“The sides had a detailed discussion of the situation in Syria. They noted positive shifts in implementing a plan of the U.N. and Arab League mediator Kofi Annan which the U.N. Security Council has endorsed by consensus and agreed that there was no alternative to it under the situation that has unfolded in Syria. It was noted that the plan’s implementation would open the way to normalizing the situation in Syria and forming conditions for launching an inclusive dialogue between the authorities and the opposition,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

“In this connection, the sides expressed special hope that the activities of the United Nations ceasefire monitoring mission in Syria established by the U.N. Security Council resolution 2043 would make it possible to fix the ceasefire and would contribute to channeling the Syrian crisis into a course of political settlement,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

“Sergei Lavrov stressed the importance of strengthening political reforms in Syria on the basis of democratic amendments made to the Syrian legislation in recent months, including a new constitution approved at a referendum on February 26,” the Ministry went on to say.

“For their part, representatives of the Popular Front confirmed the readiness of patriotic opposition to assist in implementing all aspects of Annan’s plan with an emphasis on activities designed to form a democratic pluralistic system in the interests of all Syrians irrespective of their ethnic and religious affiliation,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

“The delegation of the Syrian opposition gave high assessment of Russia’s principled stance aimed to averting foreign interference in the Syrian affairs and encouraging all Syrians to achieve national accord that would lead to the establishment of solid peace on the Syrian soil,” the Russian Foreign Ministry emphasized.